In Texas, a Preemptive Attack Against the War on Christmas

For too long, the defenders of Christian liberty in this country have huddled in their bunkers while liberals have launched salvo upon salvo at Christmas, reducing it to a bland and tasteless mush of pan-religious inclusiveness. Bill O'Reilly would scurry into the open from time to time to issue loud, self-righteous declamations, but they were merely reacting, never leaving their defensive crouch.

Last December, my 8-year old daughter was very excited about her upcoming Christmas Party at her school. However, she was very confused one day when she brought home a letter from her teacher informing her mother and me that the annual event would now be referred to as a 'Holiday Party' and gave us a set of rules to abide by on the day of the event. We were told that the school was discouraging students from wearing the colors red or green in order to be sensitive to other students, and that the phrase 'Merry Christmas' should be replaced with generic greetings such as 'Happy Holidays' or 'Season's Greetings' on any 'holiday' cards. This may come as no surprise to those of us who have witnessed this trend in recent years, but I can tell you it didn't make a whole lot of sense to our daughter. I guess it's never too early to be forced to teach your child about the absurdity of political correctness.

Armed with the new legislation, the social-conservative advocacy group Texas Values is going on the offensive. This morning, it announced "a state-wide project that will educate and protect the acknowledgment of Christmas in our public schools and ensure our student's [sic] religious liberty."

It's doing this in two ways. One, it's circulating an online petition and asking those who sign to share a summary of the Merry Christmas Law with their school districts. Two, it's monitoring school districts' compliance with the law by crowdsourcing reports on how they're doing.

"No student in Texas should fear exercising their religious freedom at school," the group writes. Instead, they should fear God and praise His only begotten son.

Christmas is one day in a season that last from October 31 to January 1. From now on I am only saying Happy Monday all week long because that is what this adds up to -- ne day of the season is pissed off because it doesn't get recognition for the other 32. GET OVER IT. That stupid fat man stated gracing my TV even before Halloween was here. The poor turkey doesn't even get a chance any more. Also, Christmas is not about Christ it is about you emptying you pocketbook at the cash register so your bratty ass kids can complain that the $3000.00 you spent on the little punks wasn't enough. That offing gi'r'affe, Jeffery, had his "savings book" out on October 15th.

While I will never quite understand the anti-Christmas people (and I'm an agnostic, so I could give two shits about the Christ part of it) I'm also quite confused that our legislators have nothing better to do than this. Why does this have to become an issue every fucking winter?

Christmas is very complicated and as this season rushes its way upon us, we must take a deep breath, and look to the sky and ask Our Heavenly Leader to hold our hand and lead not into The Temptations but to Liver Oz for Heifers.

As we dip our Holy Snow Gone deep within our own Virgin Harry, remember, it is the motion of the meat not the size of the Ark. Let us be at one with that Ruddiski and I want to with every one of you Multiple Daze of Happy & Mary Whore Monering Virgin Vagina and Vaginal Cavities to UHaul and to fall in a good fight.

Please keep the date of December 15th open. I am plan to plan an even T two celebrate the wreathlease of a new see Dee of Xtionista Musica culled Dip In Jesus, Prays 2 Jeffress Glory Hole, Eye's Blue Yah...ZAh

Can't we just kill Christmas and get it over with? For the love of all that is holy, Christmas sucks. Forcing people to shop and buy things? That's pretty much the definition of hell on earth. Discuss.

Isn't it nice that such a pressing matter as the 'Merry Christmas Bill' can sail through the lege, so that lawmakers don't have to trifle with such plebeian concerns as improving education, lowering property taxes, and reforming the PUC ?

@ruddski So apparent. So very apparent. Incredibly apparent that Christmas has declared war.

It is so very apparent that Christmas HAS declared war on a few. And more to the point a few UP comments and the commenters that make the comments. You have hit the na na na na nail on the HEAD! Yep, that is what you did.

I celebrate Christmas with some of my family and friends. We basically spend the day with each other. If gifts are exchanged, they are token ones at best. You don't have to commercialize Christmas if you don't want to.

@kayo While I appreciate the sentiment here, those other things are a lot more complicated and spend a lot of time in different committees. There's no reason not to pass the easy stuff while waiting on the hard stuff to work it's way through. Otherwise, nothing at all would ever get doe.

@Montemalone R.H. Macy may have launched Christmas as a commercial bonanza, but you're forgetting who put the REAL heart in this magical season. You know who I'm talking about -- Charles Dickens.

It is thanks to him that we endure a month and a half of mawkish, remember-the-wonder-of-childhood treacle each year (though I suspect some kind of dentists' organization may have been involved, too). FOR JESUS CHRIST'S SAKE, ENOUGH ALREADY.

@Montemalone Yes - there's a large contingent of Indians where I work, and they have a Diwali celebration to which all non-Hindus are welcome. It's all very fun and happy, and no non-Hindus take offense to being wished a "happy Diwali" and don't feel their own religious observation has been compromised.

@ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul@strathound That's a great idea. I think I would really love the season if our family did it this way. As it stands, every single Christmas, I want to call in sick for the month and go find a doomsday prep shelter and just hide until it's over. I love the music. I love the cold weather. I love that we take time to be with friends and family. Wish that's what it was about. I cannot stand the feeling of guilt I have if I don't spend at least $100 on each member of my family. Maybe I own that guilt. But I feel substantial pressure from society to be this way. If I try to break the tradition, I'm told that I'm a grinch and hate Christmas. Well ... guess that's the case. Looking forward to Arbor Day.

@observist@bmarvel I've just never seen the point in celebrating winter. Maybe up in Colorado where you can ski, or in Minnesota where winter is actually pretty. But in Texas, where it's just cold and miserable and dark? Forget it. I'll wait for the Spring Tornado Festival.

@green_eyed_lady9@bmarvel Green-Eyes. On the contrary, Easter falls when it does because, historically, the crucifixion of Christ is believed to have occurred on Friday, the day of preparation for Jewish feast of Passover. His Resurrection -- Easter -- was Sunday -- three days in the tomb. So, Easter is determined by historical Gospel accounts, not by some Pagan festival. That Passover itself may have dated back to a much earlier Pagan tradition is possible. But the Church did not "take over" this festival because of its association with pagan feasts. It was simply going by the Gospels.

I have no interest in debating theology with you. But historically, you are incorrect.

@Oxtail Meanwhile, I am a winter person. My group is seeking a ban on heat and the summer. The summer is a drain on all Texan's pocketbooks due to the extreme electric bills required for air conditioning to maintain life. I declare war on summer!